Open Browser History Shortcut (Ctrl+H / ⌘Y)
Open browsing history with Ctrl+H on Windows. On Mac it's ⌘Y in Chrome or ⌘⇧H variants in Safari.
| Action | Mac | Windows | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Open history (Chrome/Edge) | ⌘Y | Ctrl+H | |
| Open history (Safari) | ⌘Y | — | |
| Open history (Firefox) | ⌘⇧H | Ctrl+H | |
| Go back one page | ⌘[ | Alt+← | |
| Go forward one page | ⌘] | Alt+→ | |
| Reopen closed tab | ⌘⇧T | Ctrl+Shift+T | |
| New incognito / private window | ⌘⇧N | Ctrl+Shift+N | |
| Clear browsing data | ⌘⇧⌫ | Ctrl+Shift+Del | |
| Open downloads history | ⌘⇧J | Ctrl+J | |
| Reopen last closed window | ⌘⇧T | Ctrl+Shift+T |
Find a page you lost
On Windows, Ctrl+H opens your full browsing history in Chrome and Edge. On Mac the same list is ⌘Y in Chrome and Safari. Search it to re-find a page you closed earlier.
History by browser
Firefox uses Ctrl+H on Windows but ⌘⇧H on Mac, which opens the History sidebar. Chrome and Edge are the same on both platforms: Ctrl+H / ⌘Y. Safari has no history keyboard shortcut other than ⌘Y.
Jump through pages you already visited
You don't always need the full list. Press Alt+← (Windows) or ⌘[ (Mac) to go back one page, and Alt+→ / ⌘] to go forward. To bring back a tab you just closed, use Ctrl+Shift+T / ⌘⇧T — repeat it to reopen several in order.
Browse without saving history
If you'd rather not record history at all, open a private window with Ctrl+Shift+N (Windows, Chrome/Edge) or ⌘⇧N (Mac). Firefox uses Ctrl+Shift+P / ⌘⇧P for private browsing.
Clear it out
To wipe history and other data, jump straight to the dialog with Ctrl+Shift+Del (Windows) or ⌘⇧⌫ (Mac).
See your downloads history
Browser history and download history are separate lists. Open the downloads page with Ctrl+J on Windows (Chrome/Edge) or ⌘⇧J on Mac. Firefox uses Ctrl+J / ⌘⇧J too. This shows every file you've saved, with a search box to find an old download by name.
Reopen a whole closed window
If you accidentally closed an entire window, keep pressing Ctrl+Shift+T (Windows) or ⌘⇧T (Mac). The browser walks back through recently closed tabs and, once those run out, restores the last closed window with all its tabs. Chrome and Edge also keep a Recently closed list at the bottom of the history menu.
Search inside your history
Open history with Ctrl+H / ⌘Y, then just start typing in the search box at the top to filter by page title or URL. In Chrome you can also type @history in the address bar, then your search term, to search history straight from the omnibox.
FAQ
What is the shortcut for browser history?
Ctrl+H on Windows; ⌘Y on Mac in Chrome and Safari. Firefox on Mac uses ⌘⇧H.
How do I clear my history quickly?
Press Ctrl+Shift+Del (Windows) or ⌘⇧⌫ (Mac) to open the clear-data dialog.
Can I reopen a page I just closed?
Yes — Ctrl+Shift+T / ⌘⇧T reopens the most recently closed tab, and you can repeat it to reopen more.
How do I go back to the previous page with the keyboard?
Alt+← on Windows or ⌘[ on Mac goes back one page; Alt+→ / ⌘] goes forward.
Is there a shortcut to browse without saving history?
Open a private/incognito window: Ctrl+Shift+N (Chrome/Edge) or ⌘⇧N on Mac; Firefox uses Ctrl+Shift+P / ⌘⇧P.
What is the shortcut to open downloads?
Ctrl+J on Windows (Chrome/Edge/Firefox) or ⌘⇧J on Mac opens the downloads history page.
How do I reopen a window I closed by accident?
Press Ctrl+Shift+T / ⌘⇧T repeatedly — it reopens closed tabs first, then restores the last closed window with all its tabs.
Can I search my browser history?
Yes — open history with Ctrl+H / ⌘Y and type in the search box. In Chrome you can also type @history in the address bar to search from the omnibox.